An atmospheric oxygen element is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,442,183, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. The atmospheric oxygen element described contains cathode plates, the active part of which comprise a mixture of activated charcoal and carbon black with a manganese (II) chloride solution as electrolyte. During discharge of the cell the zinc dissolves into ZnCl.sub.2 and manganese chloride is transformed into Mn(OH).sub.2 at the cathode. Because of the oxygen contained in the atmospheric oxygen elements, the Mn(OH).sub.2 is oxidized into manganic acid and precipitates at the cathode as Mn.sub.2 O.sub.3. The Mn.sub.2 O.sub.3 reacts with the ZnCl.sub.2, which increases during current delivery, in accordance with the formula: EQU Mn.sub.2 O.sub.3 +ZnCl.sub.2 .fwdarw.ZnMnO.sub.3 +MnCl.sub.2
and since the MnCl.sub.2 which has been created continues to react at the cathode, the total formula of current generation in an atmospheric oxygen element with a manganese chloride solution as electrolyte can be written as follows: EQU 2Zn+3/2O.sub.2 +MnCl.sub.2 .fwdarw.ZnMnO.sub.3 +ZnCl.sub.2
With this reaction it is of particular technical interest that it is possible to react 4 equivalents of zinc to generate current with 1 mol MnCl.sub.2.
Oxygen is available in unlimited amounts, and the amount of zinc required is easily attainable by the choice of the thickness of the anode. However, the amount of MnCl.sub.2 is tied to the amount of electrolyte which can be accommodated in the cell. Solid MnCl.sub.2 .multidot.4(H.sub.2 O) cannot be added to the solution in excess, since it dissolves in moist air and would cause swelling of the cells.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a practical process for generating MnCl.sub.2 in the electrolyte of an atmospheric oxygen element as needed.
It is also an object to provide an atmospheric oxygen element with a source of generating MnCl.sub.2 in the electrolyte.